Luna County came together to beat this year's Celebration of Life walk goal with $77,310 raised.

The goal for the eighth annual walk, held last Saturday, was $75,000. The funds will go toward operations at Cancer Support of Deming and Luna County. Patient advocate Joanna Costilla said the community raised about $11,000 more than last year.

"I am beyond thrilled," she said, hardly able to contain her excitement. "It's amazing how this community turns out the way it does every year."

Funds were raised through registration, clothing sales and proceeds from vendors at the walk, which was held Saturday, April 27 at Voiers "Pit" Park.

Money raised will now go toward the various programs offered at Cancer Support, which is located in the Deming Train Depot on North Country Club Road. Funds will benefit programs you might already be familiar with, like transportation for cancer patients and a library at the office with materials for those fighting cancer and families of those with cancer. But she hopes the public will begin taking more advantage of a lesser known program offered by Cancer Support.

"A big program that we would love people to take more advantage of is we pay for early detection testing," she explained. "We pay for mammograms, hemoccults - that's to test for ovarian cancer - and we also pay for men, their PSA's, which test for prostate cancer."

Cancer Support has a contract with a local provider to offer the tests at no charge to those wishing to be screened.

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She said there are no financial requirements for the testing and that it is open to anyone. The only requirement is that a doctor orders the test. Locals can also receive more than one screening per doctor's orders.

She says only about 15 or 20 people have taken advantage of the screening offer, which has always been offered by Cancer Support.

To reach their goal of $75,000 raised, the non-profit is continuing to sell raffle tickets for a new washer and dryer set from Howard's Maytag, a local retailer. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at Peppers Supermarket or at the Cancer Support Office. The raffle will be held June 1.

Hats, visors and t-shirts are also for sale at $10 each and can be purchased at the Cancer Support office.